Hello guys, please dont use board leash when you are kiteboarding, this is extremly dangerous, if you re begginer and dont want to loose your board, practice body dragg upwind to recober your board, and when you master this technique, then go to the water with the board, remember this you have all your life to enjoy kiteboarding and 10 seconds to loose your life or end in a wheel chair for the rest of your life.If you re experience kiteboarder help the begginer who want to use a leash and dont let then do it.

Hey guys, I happen to love my board leash. It's a retractable type, and I use it when the conditions may drop to the point that I can't keep my kite in the air. Ever try to get upwind to your board when your kite's on the water? If you lose your board when your kite comes down because there's not enough wind to keep it in the air, there's a good chance you'll lose your board permanently. At the slow speeds you ride in those conditions, I don't think a board leash (retractable type) is significantly dangerous. Sure, it's possible to get hurt from using it, but not very likely. I always wear a helmet (with or without the leash) and a PFD, and I never jump while using the leash. If the wind picks up, I just unclip the leash from the board. Leashes have their place, just not on a beginner.

Board leashes have NO place - they have injured and killed too many riders already, including experienced riders wearing helmets. The risk isn't as small as you think it is, and it's a lot easier to replace a board than recover from a brain injury.

I've read lots of pontification on this topic, but no documentation based on analysis of the accidents. What were the conditions, how frequent are the accidents, what was the chain of events that caused the accident/incident, and what type of equipment were they using? Anybody have any statistics or accident/incident analysis to back up your opinion?

Don the Dumbow (and proud of it), who also flies C's and trainer kites.

Hello guys, the board leash is dangerous whatever tipe of kite you use even if you wear helmet, dont you think is enough with one accident to prevent another ones? we dont need statics about how many accident ocurs with the board leash, USE THE BOARD LEASH IS UNSAFE, even the retractil ones, because when the retractil is activate a long line is under the water and another kiter cant see it, so in this case is unsafe for another riders too, and dont forget could not work good and the board come directly for your dorsal spine. I know the boards are expensive and no one want to losse it si if not enough wind dont kite, and is better to loose 700 uss than loose your life. Please understand we try to do kiteboard safer.Good winds.

I've read lots of pontification on this topic, but no documentation based on analysis of the accidents. What were the conditions, how frequent are the accidents, what was the chain of events that caused the accident/incident, and what type of equipment were they using? Anybody have any statistics or accident/incident analysis to back up your opinion?

November 11, 2002:A new kiteboarder but long time windsurfer was out in an new area in side shore winds shiftingbetween 14-22 knots much of the day but at the time of the accident it was only 12-16 knots latein the afternoon. Apparently the rider had been advised to take lessons but as there was a waitinglist he decided to try to learn on his own. The water temperature was quite cold at 9-12 degreesCelsius. There were about 20 kiteboarders out in the area at this time. There is a large harborwall bordering the launch that was paralleled by a strong current on this day. The rider was usingan Aero 10 or 12 without a shackle or Quick Release but was wearing a helmet, impact vest,gloves, knife and whistle. He was using a Wipika 175 cm board with a board leash. The actualdetails of the accident are unknown at this time. His kite was seen to be on the water then flyingthen back on the water in a relatively short interval. He was later dragged ashore by his kite nearthe harbor wall and found unconscious and without a pulse. Other kiteboarders respondedimmediately with first aid. He was in a deep coma but some evidence of brain activity waspresent for several days. He eventually passed away in hospital. He was found to have a bruisearound his right ankle the attachment point of the board leash and a small cerebral hematomaunder the occuput (a small blood clot in the brain at the back of the head, above the neck).The kiteboarder was a physician as is a friend of his who also kiteboards. The other physicianproposed the following sequence of events. The kiteboarder lost his board, dragged underwaterand recoiled striking the rider at the back of the neck and beneath his helmet. The hematomaand the bruising in the area of the kite leash support this conclusion. The rider was knockedunconscious and was apparently lying face down in the water and drowned.

Also November 2002:An experienced rider was out in gusty conditions with a board leash. At one point he was dragged at speed andthe board slingshotted into his face. The fin lacerated the riders throat. Also he had several teeth broken and wasbleeding profusely. He was rushed to the hospital by bystanders. He was in poor condition due to blood loss andrelated trauma at the emergency room. He was treated and is in the process of healing.

July 2002:A kiteboarder was out in variable side offshore winds estimated at 14-15 knot withgusts to 17-18 knots and lulls to 11 knots in relatively calm water and at low tide. The rider wasout with an unidentified kite about 15-18m2. The rider made a jump near the shore but fell uponlanding. The leash hurled the board against the rider's head, who then immediately lostconsciousness. Fortunately two other riders saw the incident and rescued the injured person. Heregained consciousness at the beach and was flown by rescue helicopter to the hospital inRotterdam. The rider was not wearing a helmet or impact pfd.

That's just from the 2nd half of 2002. Do a search and you'll find plenty of firsthand stories from people who have had near-misses and/or near hits.

I thought this one was resolved long time ago. Doesn't matter what kite or type of leash just don't do it. Kite pulls one way the board goes under the water creating resistance thus you drown. If the board happens to float ahead of you and the leash grabs on end of a bar you are going to go for a hell of a ride before you die. Bow kites provide even deadlier spiral so you might not suffer long.

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